Kate Winslet Helps Beau Ned Rocknroll Launch a Space Station

The 35-year-old Oscar winner joined her 33-year-old beau at Monday's grand opening of his billionaire uncle Richard Brandon's commercial spaceport in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Other attendees included astronaut BuzzAldrin and Governor SusanaMartinez.

Named the Virgin Galactic Gateway to Space, the high-end spaceport will charge clientele $200,000 for a round-trip visit to space beginning in 2012. Rocknroll -- who legally changed his name from Ned Abel Smith -- is employed by Virgin Galactic.

"The building is absolutely magnificent," Branson, 61, said at the unveiling. "It is literally out of this world, and that's what we were aiming at creating."

Winslet and Rocknroll met in August at Branson's Necker Island home, while the Carriage actress was still dating model LouisDowler. She famously helped Branson's mother, Eve, escape a house fire during the tropical getaway.

According to an insider, Winslet and Rocknroll's fledgling romance is off to a great start. "Ned is really happy with Kate," a source recently told Us Weekly. "He feels he can learn so much from her. It's sexy -- a boy toy situation!"

Add a Comment

Sign Up for the Us Weekly Newsletter!

Please enable javascript to sign up for the newsletter.

You will receive the latest news and updates on your favorite celebrities!